JAY — The town and contractors involved in cleaning up properties on Route 17 in North Jay in 2015 have reached a settlement with the owners, according to Town Manager Shiloh LaFreniere.

The town got a court order to clean up the properties in January 2015. The Pollis family sued the town and the contractors in 2017 over items that were removed.

According to a statement from LaFreniere, the town and co-defendants reached a proposed settlement agreement Jan. 17 during a judicial conference in Bangor. Selectpersons unanimously accepted it Monday following an executive session, LaFreniere said Tuesday.

Under the agreement, the Pollises will receive $15,000 and the town will receive $30,000 to satisfy a 2016 tax lien on the property, according to a statement. Darren Pollis and the estate of Leroy Pollis will retain ownership of the land after paying off the tax lien.

The settlement money will be paid by Maine Municipal Association on behalf of the town as well as the insurance companies for co-defendants Central Maine Disposal and Clark’s Cars, according to the statement.

“The settlement was the result of negotiations . . . to resolve the dispute to avoid incurring additional attorney’s fees and expenses as well as a trial in Bangor,” the statement reads. The town’s position is that it acted appropriately and legally, and denies any legal liability.

Darren Pollis of Jay and his mother, Carol Dolbier of Missouri, representing the heirs of Leroy Pollis sued Jay, Central Maine Disposal of Fairfield, Clark’s Cars & Parts in Hallowell, Franklin County and a former Jay selectperson in 2017. The lawsuit was initially filed in Franklin County court and moved to U.S. District Court in Bangor.

Franklin County was dropped from the suit and the former Jay selectperson was covered as part of the town. The defendants denied the allegations in court documents last year.

The town had been trying to get the properties in compliance with state junkyard and automobile graveyard laws for 16 years and previous court orders were ignored, LaFreniere said in 2015.

Darren Pollis said in 2015 the town went too far and took items that were not listed in court orders including ATVs, snowmobiles, skidder tires, cars with no titles and antique vehicles. Some items that were supposed to be taken weren’t, he said.

The town also had a court order to recoup its cleanup and legal costs, and selectpersons applied a special tax of $31,475 in August 2015 to the properties, which was to be split based on valuation.

Attempts on Wednesday and Thursday to get comments from attorneys representing the Pollises and contractors were either declined or unsuccessful.

dperry@sunjournal.com

Jay officials have reached a settlement with Darren Pollis and the estate of his father, Leroy Pollis, on the property cleanup done in June 2015. (Sun Journal File Photo)